Ogun State has established an alternative dispute resolution, ADR, centre to facilitate quick and effective resolution of conflicts in the state.

The Chief Judge of the state, Olatokunbo Olopade, said the development was in line with a directive by the Chief Justice of Nigeria to states to adapt the ADR mechanism into the judicial system.

Mrs. Olopade was speaking on Friday at the commissioning of the centre, Ogun State Multi-Door Court House, located within the premises of the Magistrate Court, Abeokuta.

“I am ‎proud to say that Ogun State Judiciary has today become one of the very few judiciaries that have complied with that directive and keyed into the programme”, she said.

The Chief Judge said the mechanism has been acknowledged to be the quickest and less acrimonious means of resolving disputes globally.

“It has therefore become important and necessary for the Ogun State Judiciary to adopt this globally recognised fast and less acrimonious means of settling disputes, to meet the ever growing desire of our people for justice without stress, particularly within the fast growing commercial community”, she stated.

Mrs. Olopade disclosed that the state judiciary, in collaboration with Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, ICMC, has trained a panel of neutrals to serve in the court house and adopted a practice direction to guide its workings .

She said this has been gazetted in the Ogun State of Nigeria Gazette Number 5 Volume 42 of February 2 this year.

“We are indeed ready to provide the good people of Ogun State the much needed forum to explore and benefit from Alternative Dispute Resolution,” she said.

She said the response of the people to the mechanism had been quite encouraging.